William Bryan Downey
BORN September 7 1896; Columbus, Ohio DIED March 28 1970; Wadsworth, California (Some sources report March 29 1970) HEIGHT 5-6 1/4 WEIGHT 133-163 lbs MANAGER Jimmy Dunn RECORD 48-13-12 (25 KO, 66 ND) Downey was a scrappy fighter but was not a power hitter; He was very game and was stopped only twice in 139 bouts; Ten of his losses came in the last few years of his career; In 1921, he was recognized by the Ohio Boxing Commission as the Middleweight Champion of the World
Downey defeated such men as Johnny Wilson, Mike O'Dowd, George Shade, Augie Ratner, Young Fisher, Frank Carbone, John "Happy" Littleton, Joe "Kid" Kansas, Matt Wells, Jock Malone, Joe Chip, Steve Latzo, Tommy Robson and Willie "K.O." Loughlin1914 Feb 2 Jimmy Albright Columbus, Oh KO 2 Feb 12 George Watson Columbus, Oh ND 4 -Some sources report 2/14/14 Mar 16 Eddie Erb Columbus, Oh KO 2 Mar 30 Ted Hatch Columbus, Oh KO 3 Apr 14 Jack Sullivan Columbus, Oh KO 2 May 18 Matty Califf Columbus, Oh KO 1 Jun 15 Jack Frambes Cincinnati, Oh ND 4 Jul 20 Willie Jennings Columbus, Oh KO 1 Aug 31 Willie Jones Columbus, Oh KO 12 Nov 5 Richie Mitchell Columbus, Oh ND 12 Dec 8 Young Goldie Columbus, Oh ND 12 1915 Jan 18 Patsy Cline Columbus, Oh ND 12 Feb 22 Peanuts Schierberl Columbus, Oh KO 1 Mar 29 Cal Delaney Columbus, Oh LK 11 -Some sources report "ND 12" Jun 14 Joe Dailey Columbus, Oh ND 12 Aug 2 Patsy McMahon Columbus, Oh ND 12 Sep 6 Cal Delaney Columbus, Oh ND 12 Oct 4 Frankie Daley Columbus, Oh TK 6 -Some sources report 10/05/15 Dec 6 Roger O'Malley Columbus, Oh ND 12 1916 Jan 10 Johnny Griffiths Columbus, Oh ND 12 Feb 28 Spider Kelly Marshfield, Wi ND 8 Mar 22 Joe "Kid" Kansas Windsor, Ont, Can TK 8 May 11 Jack Perry Columbus, Oh KO 11 May 29 Willie Beecher Columbus, Oh ND 12 Jul 3 "Lockport" Jimmy Duffy Columbus, Oh ND 12 Oct 16 Johnny Griffiths Columbus, Oh ND 12 Nov 14 Spike Kelly Kenosha, Wi ND 10 Nov 29 Frankie Murphy Toledo, Oh ND 12 Dec 11 Johnny Harvey Columbus, Oh ND 12 1917 Jan 1 Jack Perry Columbus, Oh KO 9 Jan 10 Johnny McCarthy Windsor, Ont, Can TK 7 -Some sources report "NC 6" Jan 18 Frankie Murphy Toledo, Oh ND 12 Jan 29 Johnny Tillman Columbus, Oh ND 12 Mar 5 Jack Britton Columbus, Oh ND 12 Mar 16 "Lockport" Jimmy Duffy Buffalo, NY ND 10 Apr 2 Willie Beecher Columbus, Oh ND 12 Jul 4 Eddie Moha Racine, Wi ND 10 Jul 9 Johnny Riley Rochester, NY ND 10 Jul 23 Fred Dyer Rochester, NY ND 10 Aug 27 Matt Wells Rochester, NY ND 10 Sep 3 Vic Moran Columbus, Oh KO 5 Sep 17 Matt Wells Columbus, Oh W 15 -Some sources report "ND 12" Sep 26 Billy "Goats" Doig LaSalle, Il D 10 Oct 8 Young Denny Columbus, Oh ND 12 Oct 20 Johnny Griffiths Columbus, Oh ND 12 -Some sources report 10/29/17 Nov 12 Young Denny Columbus, Oh ND 12 Dec 17 Ted "Kid" Lewis Columbus, Oh ND 12 1918 Jan 1 Johnny Griffiths Akron, Oh ND 12 -Some sources report "D 12" Jan 9 Joe Eagan Milwaukee, Wi ND 10 Feb 7 Joe Eagan Milwaukee, Wi ND 10 Apr 4 Jock Malone Fort Sheridan, Il W 10 Apr 10 Tommy Robson Boston, Ma W 12 -Some sources report "W 10" Jun 11 Jack Britton Boston, Ma L 12 Jun 22 Marty Cross Dayton, Oh D 15 Jul 3 Jacob "Soldier" Bartfield Columbus, Oh ND 15 -Some sources report "ND 12" Aug 20 Marty Cross Columbus, Oh ND 15 Sep 12 Jock Malone St. Paul, Mn ND 10 Dec 16 Johnny Tillman Columbus, Oh ND 12 1919 Jan 1 Ted "Kid" Lewis Columbus, Oh ND 15 -Some sources report "ND 12" Jan 29 Willie "K.O." Loughlin Tulsa, Ok D 15 -Some sources report "L 15" Feb 17 Willie "K.O." Loughlin Tulsa, Ok D 15 Mar 20 Jock Malone Columbus, Oh L 15 Apr 7 Jack Britton Canton, Oh ND 12 -Some sources report 4/08/19 May 26 Willie "K.O." Loughlin Canton, Oh ND 12 Jun 19 Jock Malone Canton, Oh ND 12 Jul 2 Willie "K.O." Loughlin Columbus, Oh W 15 Aug 4 Jock Malone Columbus, Oh D 15 Sep 26 Willie "K.O." Loughlin Dayton, Oh D 15 Nov 17 Billy "Goats" Doig Peoria, Il ND 10 -Some sources report "D 10" Dec 17 Navy Rostan Columbus, Oh W 15 1920 Jan 12 Nip Howell Dayton, Oh KO 9 Jan 19 Joe Chip Canton, Oh ND 10 Jan 26 Steve Latzo Dayton, Oh W 12 Jan 31 Len Rowlands Wheeling, WV ND 10 Feb 6 Art Magirl Milwaukee, Wi SCH -This bout was scheduled but not held Feb 6 Frank "Navy" Rostan Milwaukee, Wi ND 10 Mar 10 Hope Mullen Cincinnati, Oh KO 4 Mar 26 Jack Britton Cleveland, Oh ND 10 Mar 27 Billy Weeks Columbus, O ND 10 -Some sources report 3/28/20 Apr 12 Tommy Robson Dayton, Oh W 10 May 5 Frankie Brennan Cincinnati, Oh KO 5 -Some sources report "KO 6" May 24 Joe Chip Columbus, Oh W 12 May 31 Marty Cross Cincinnati, Oh ND 10 Jun 14 Tommy Robson Dayton, Oh W 12 Jul 4 Walter Caldwell Columbus, Oh KO 3 -Reports vary - 7/28/20 - 8/07/20; Some sources report "Cincinnati, Oh" Jul 14 Jacob "Soldier" Bartfield Detroit, Mi ND 10 Jul 21 Ralph Schappert Dayton, Oh D 12 Aug 18 Jacob "Soldier" Bartfield Detroit, Mi ND 10 Sep 22 Johnny Wolgast Columbus, Oh KO 2 Oct 25 Ralph Schappert Dayton, Oh D 12 Nov 15 Augie Ratner Philadelphia, Pa ND 8 Dec 14 Ralph Schappert Columbus, Oh W 15 1921 Jan 7 George Chip Cleveland, Oh ND 10 Jan 17 Augie Ratner Rochester, NY W 15 Feb 14 Augie Ratner Rochester, NY W 15 Mar 11 Young Fisher Syracuse, NY D 15 Mar 30 Young Fisher Cleveland, Oh W 12 May 11 Johnny Klesch Toledo, Oh W 12 May 23 Johnny Paske Buffalo, NY W 15 May 28 Young Fisher Cleveland, Oh W 12 Jun 16 Frank Carbone Columbus, Oh W 12 Jul 4 Johnny Klesch Canton, Oh W 12 Jul 27 Johnny Wilson Cleveland, Oh TK 7 -Middleweight Championship of the World; Referee Jimmy Gardner declared Wilson the winner by foul; The Cleveland Boxing Commission declared Downey the winner by a "TK 7" verdict; The Ohio Boxing Federation then confirmed Downey as the Middleweight Champion Sep 5 Johnny Wilson Jersey City, NJ ND 12 -Middleweight Championship of the World Dec 12 John "Happy" Littleton New Orleans, La KO 5 1922 Feb 10 Young Fisher Syracuse, NY D 15 Feb 22 Frank Carbone Canton, Oh W 12 Feb 28 Tommy Loughran Philadelphia, Pa ND 8 -Some sources report 3/01/22 Mar 13 Frank Carbone Indianapolis, In ND 10 May 15 Mike O'Dowd Columbus, Oh W 12 May 30 Harry Krohn Akron, Oh ND 12 -Some sources report 5/31/22 Jun 13 Jock Malone Aurora, Il ND 10 Sep 18 Jock Malone Columbus, Oh L 12 Oct 16 Nate Siegel Boston, Ma W 10 Nov 13 Frankie Schoell Omaha, Ne ND 10 Nov 20 Lou Bogash Boston, Ma L 10 Dec 5 Jock Malone Louisville, Ky ND 12 Dec 15 John "Happy" Littleton New Orleans, La D 15 1923 Jan 8 Bob Sage Detroit, Mi ND 10 Mar 15 Phil Krug Orange, NJ ND 12 Apr 2 Lou Bogash Rochester, NY D 12 Apr 26 George Shade Youngstown, Oh KO 2 -Some sources report 4/27/23 May 7 Frankie Schoell Buffalo, NY L 6 May 25 Lou Bogash Syracuse, NY L 12 Jun 14 Tommy Robson Youngstown, Oh ND 12 Jul 24 Jock Malone Columbus, Oh L 12 Dec 3 Harry Greb Pittsburgh, Pa L 10 -Middleweight Championship of the World 1924 May 5 Jack Delaney Columbus, Oh ND 12 -Some sources report "W 12" Jul 7 Ted Moore Columbus, Oh L 12 -Some sources report "L 10" Aug Tony "Young" Marullo New Orleans, La LT 10 1926 May 10 Joe Lohman Columbus, Oh W 12 May 17 Eddie Welsh Dayton, Oh KO 1 Jun 8 Augie Ratner Cleveland, Oh ND 10 Jun 14 Jimmy Darragh Columbus, Oh W 12 Jun 29 Len Darcy Flint, Mi KO 7 Jul 10 Speedy Sparks Dayton, Oh TK 8 Aug 13 Joe Sekyra Dayton, Oh L 8 Joe Anderson Columbus, Oh ND 10 -Some sources report "Dayton, Ky"; Some sources report "L 10" Sep 6 Ted Moore Canton, Oh ND 10 1927 Sep 17 Bobby Marriott Tampa, Fl L 10 *** The Following Bout Is Reported But Not Confirmed *** 1921 Jan 1 Augie Ratner Columbus, Oh W 12
Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
[Return to Top]
